I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to new and useful improvements in fishing sinkers, and more particularly to the design of such a fishing sinker, which allows it to be readily coupled and uncoupled from a fishing line by the fisherman, but which when placed on the line for fishing purposes will remain in place until removed by the fisherman.
II. Discussion of the Prior Art
Sinkers have long been used to cause the terminal end of a fishing line on which the hook and bait are joined to become submerged. A fisherman's tackle box will generally include sinkers of a variety of different weights, and the one selected for use at any given time is generally determined by the particular species of fish that one is going after and the characteristics of the water in which that species is generally found. Specifically, when fishing for smaller pan fish in quiet lakes with worms and minnows as bait, a fisherman can get by with a lighter weight sinker than when fishing in deep waters or in rivers and streams where the line and bait are subjected to buoyant forces or currents.
During any given period of fishing, the fisherman may elect to change or adjust the amount of weight being used on the end of the line. In that fishing is done in all types of weather, from the warm of summer to the cold of winter, it is desirable that a means be provided for readily and easily removing one sinker from the line and replacing it with the other. In cold weather, this is sometimes a difficult task when prior art sinkers are involved because the fisherman's fingers are necessarily exposed to frigid air and water. Accordingly, it is desirable that a fishing sinker be designed with a line-attaching mechanism that will reliably hold the sinker in place on the line but which will permit it to be released with a minimum of effort and time.